Reclining chair



RECLINING CHAIR Filed Dec. 6, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TORES.

ADELARD J. BELISL HAROLD D. ALLYN BY FRANK M. RE

ATTORNEY.

RECLINING CHAIR Filed. D90. 6, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TORS ADELARD J. BELISLE HAROLD D. ALLYN BY FRANK M. RE

ATTORNEY.

April 9, 1963 Filed Dec. 6, 1960 A. J. BELISLE ETAL RECLINING CHAIR 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS ADELARD J. BELISLE HAROLD D. ALLYN BY FRANK M. RE

AT TGi'NE Y.

April 9, 1963 Filed Dec. 6, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS ADELARD J. BELISLE HAROLD D. ALLYN y FRANK M. RE

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ATTORNEY.

April 9, 1963 A. J. BELISLE ETAL 3,084,974

RECLINING CHAIR Filed Dec. 6, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TORS ADELARD J. BELiSLE HAROLD D. ALLYN BY FRANK M. RE

ATTORNEY.

3,084,974 REQLINING CHAIR Arlelard J. Belisle, South Hadley Fails, Harold D. Allyn,

Springfield, and Frank M. Re, Hoiyoire, Mass assignors to Dual Manufacturing & Engineering Inc, Holyoke, Mass, a corporation Filed Dec. 6, 1960, Ser. No. 74,044 1 Claim. (Cl. 27-$9} The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in structural refinements in reclining chairs and is directed particularly to a reclining chair having a unitary seat and back-rest and a leg-rest, which seat and back-rest may be shiftable between a sitting position and a plurality of reclined positions, and which leg-rest may be shiftable between a retracted position and a plurality of extended positions, all relative to a support or chassis and independently of each other or in coordinated movements relative to each other.

The invention relates particularly to a reclining chair having a leg-rest whose movement between vertical and horizontal positions and a multiplicity of positions therebetween may be or may not be coordinated, as desired, with the movement of the seat and back-rest into and out of reclining position relative to the support or chassis.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a reclining chair mechanism which is highly versatile in its operation whereby a variety of positions of the seat and back-rest may be achieved and wherein the legrest may be completely retracted while the unitary seat and back-rest is in any position of reclination. That is, the unitary seat and backrest is movable with respect to a stationary support or chassis and the leg-rest which is connected by a linkage to said seat-back in such manner that the movement of the seat-back from the upright to one of the reclining positions effectuates the movement of the leg-rest upwardly and forwardly of the chair from retracted position to an extended position at the option of the occupant.

The operating linkages function as a pair and are interposed between the movable seat-back-rest unit and the legrest and each includes a link whose resistance to movement is controlled by a resistance adjusting device engaging said link. By suitably controlling the frictional resistance adjusting device between certain positions which the chair assumes, the force required to move the seat-back unit to one of the reclining positions may be adjusted in accordance with the requirements or desires of the chair occupant.

The invention envisions a seating element which is adjustible from a regular sitting position to one of a plurality of more or less reclining or tilted positions and includes a leg-rest which occupies an inoperative position when the seating element is in a position to support the body in an upright sitting posture and which may be advanced and raised so as to support the legs when the seating element is moved to any one of several reclining positions where the chair occupant is accommodated in partially reclined or resting attitudes.

The seating element or unit comprises a unitary back-rest and seat, which element may be mounted in a swingable manner upon a base resting on the floor, so that the backrest, when it is tilted backward, will tilt the seat upwardly at its forward edge. The leg-rest is pivotally interconnected with the front part of the seat and a linkage is provided which may raise the leg-rest when the unitary seat and back-rest is tilted. Such linkage may be operated to raise the leg-rest by means of a connection to the seat and backrest or to the tilting seat and to the fixed base so that the tilting of the seat provides the power for raising the legrest.

Chairs have been heretofore designed to provide a semi- 3,384,974 Patented Apr. 9, 1963 ice I reclined or tilted position for the chair occupant with the leg-rest elevated in front of the unitary seat and back-rest or body supporting unit, which semi-reclined or tilted position is suitable for reading, television viewing, and the like. Other chairs are known which are designed to provide a fully reclined or completely relaxed position for the chair occupant with the body supporting unit disposed angularly relative to a horizontal plane upon which plane the chassis may be disposed for the complete or total relaxation of the occupant with his feet disposed upon the elevated leg-rest forwardly of the body supporting unit.

The invention contemplates a novel article of furniture having multiple coacting parts which are relatively spaced on and swingable relative to a suitable support means whereby the components may be actuated by the occupant with facility so as to move same between a normal upright or sitting position and one of a multiplicity of reclining positions. In assuming a reclined position, a fixed seat and back-rest is swingable relative to a support to effect the angnlarization of said seat and back-rest and simultaneously to bring about the swinging or shifting of the leg-rest relative to the angularization of the combined seat and back-rest and further to permit the adjustment of the leg-rest component independent of the relative positioning of the other components.

In addition, the invention envisions a reclining article of furniture wherein the various coacting components above defined may be combined with a suitable means whereby the chair may further be angularized to any desired position of reclination simply by the application of increased body pressure by the occupant upon the chair back-rest.

In a broad way, the invention may be defined as an improved reclining chair for reading, television viewing, and the like, as well as for relaxing totally and completely, a multiplicity of positions being attainable for each. In one position, an intermediate semi-reclined or tilted position, the body supporting unit is disposed at an angle rela tive to the horizontal plane with the leg-rest elevated in front of the body supporting unit to a degree suitable for the attainment of relaxation. In another further reclined position, the body suporting unit is disposed at a different angle relative to the said horizontal plane with the legrest in an extremely elevated position in front of the body supporting unit suitable for the attainment of a diiferent degree of relaxation.

It is a primary object hereof to provide a novel reclining chair wherein an integral seat and back-rest may be angularized to the reclined position respective to a base or chassis without necessarily extending the leg-rest. It is contemplated either that movement of the unitary seat and back-rest may be accomplished independently of outward lateral movement of the leg-rest, or that the movement of the seat and backrest may be accomplished synchronously with the movement of the leg-rest, all at the option of the chair occupant.

It is still another object hereof to provide a reclining chair wherein the various components may be returned from their relative positions in the extended or reclined position to their relative positions in the so-called normal upright position along routes or paths of movement which are different from the routes or paths of movement taken as the seat and back-rest are moved from normal upright or sitting position to the semi-reclined and further reclined positions and as the leg-rest is moved away from its normal vertical inoperative position to its various operative positions.

The resultant effect is an improvement over known prior art devices wherein the components of the mechanism eifectuating the extension of the leg-rest and the angularization of the seat and back-rest are returned to normal position through the same paths or routes followed in achieving such reclined, extended position.

Additionally, the components hereof are maintained in balanced relationship at all times wherein a fluidity of maneuverability of the movable body and leg supporting members is attained with a minimum of effort and a maximum of ease.

One salient feature hereof resides in the fact that the occupant may obtain variations in angularization of the seat and back-rest or of the position of the leg-rest by a slight shifting of his body weight and, in some instances, by a slight downward pressure of the heels upon the legrest.

' The linkage mechanism hereof permits the body supporting unit to be moved into a suitable partially reclined or intermediate resting position with the raising of the leg-rest to the desired elevated leg-supporting position, followed by the movement of the body-supporting unit and leg-rest as a substantially unitary assembly into a suitable further reclined position, and if desired, followed by the retention of the body-supporting unit in the desired reclined position and the return of the legrest to its relative vertical position before the return of the body-supporting unit to its normal upright position, or if desired, followed by the return, in unison, of the body-supporting unit and the leg-rest to their respective normal upright positions.

In the accompanying drawings, we have illustrated a chair wherein the various components are combined and coact in accordance with the principles toward which we have directed our invention. It will be understood, however, that various changes and alterations are envisioned and may be such as to modify the structures illustrated herein but yet remain within the scope and spirit of the claim appended hereto.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view in vertical section of a reclining chair mechanism incorporating an embodiment of the invention, the chair being shown in an upright position;

FIG. 2 is'a view, similar to FIG. 1, showing the chair in an intermediate reclining position;

FIG. 3 is a view showing the chair in a partially reclined position;

FIG. 4 is a view showing the chair in a further reclining position with the leg-rest extended; and

FIG. 5 is a View, similar to FIG. 4, showing the chair in a similar reclined position with the leg-rest retracted.

Referring now to the drawings, we have shown a reclining chair generally indicated by 2 and comprising a stationary supporting framework 4 and a unitary seat and back-rest structure which includes a seat 6 and a back-rest 8 unitary therewith wherefore the seat and backrest are rigidly connected together and move as a unit.

The mechanism now to be described is one of a pair located at each side of the chair between the stationary framework 4 and the back-rest structure and is fixed to a horizontally-extending chair brace 10. Here following, one such mechanism is shown and described. It will be understood that, alternatively, a single unitary mechanism may be employed in lieu of a pair of such mechanisms, in which instance, the single mechanism would be disposed centrally of the chair.

A substantially horizontally-extending bracket 20 is rigidly fixed to the stationary brace and extends lengthwise or in a front-rear dimension of the chair. A second bracket 22 is rigidly secured to the lower edge of seat 6 as by screws 24 or the like.

The seat-back structure is pivotally supported for movement about the stationary framework 4 by means of an L-link 26 which is pivotally attached at 27, at its upper end, to the bracket member 22, and thus to the seat-back structure.

The opposite or lower end of the L-link 26 is pivotally connected to the bracket on the stationary chair brace 10 by a pin 28.

A leg-rest 29 is positioned at the forward end of the chair and is connected to the seat-back structure by a linkage system now to be described.

A primary elevator link 30 is pivotally connected at 32 at its forward end to said leg-rest and at its rearward end at 34 to the lower-end of a primary propeller link 40, the upper end of the primary propeller link 4%) being pivoted at 42 to the bracket 22. I

A secondary elevator link 59 is pivotally connected at 52 at its forward end to said leg-rest, and at its approximate mid-section at 54 to the primary propeller link 40 and at its rearward end at 56 to the lower end of a pivoting link 60.

The pivoting link '60 is pivoted at its upper end at 62 to the bracket 22 and at 64 adjacent said upper end to a generally horizontally-extending base link 79.

The base link 70 is pivoted at its rearward end at 72 to the bracket 20, approximately centrally thereof.

The lower longitudinal edge of the link 70 is provided adjacent its rearward end with a recessed portion to provide a stop 71 and adjacent its forward end with a stop portion 75,

A friction link 89 is disposed upon the base link 70 and is fixed at its upper end at 72 to said base link and to the bracket 20, and is fixed at its lower end to said bracket in a frictional relationship in manner now to be described.

A bolt 90 passes laterally through the bracket 20 and the lower end of the friction link 80 and has a wing nut 94 threaded thereon which may be tightened against the planar face of the link 80 in manner to increase the frictional engagement between base link 70 and bracket 20 Conversely, by loosening the wing nut 94, the frictional engagement between base link 70 and bracket 20 is decreased, same being a desirable feature whereby persons of lighter weight may adjust the device for easier operation.

In effect, the wing nut 94, in combination with the link 80, may be described as being an adjustable braking device whereby the force or weight required to move the seat and back to one of the reclining portions may be varied in accordance with the desires or requirements of the chair occupant.

A pair of stops and 102 extend laterally outwardly from the bracket 20 adjacent the opposite ends thereof with the stop 102 serving to limit the downward motion of the base link 70 upon engagement with the forward stop portion 75 of said link, and with the stop 100 serving to limit the further ang ularization of the seat and back upon engagement of a lower extremity 26 of the L-link 26 therewith.

LFIG. l of the drawingsillustrates the relative positions of the components of the linkage when the chair is fully upright.

It will be observed that when the chair components are in this upright position, the leg-rest is retracted, the base link 70 is resting upon the stop 102, and the frictional adjustment means 9t) and 94 is positioned at the forward end of an arcuate surface, 78, provided adjacent the rearward end of the lower longitudinal edge of said link 70.

To achieve the intermediate position illustrated in FIG. 2, the chair occupant may bring pressure to bear upon the back-rest 8, causing the rigid seat-back structure to become angularized relative to the stationary bracket 20 and base rail ltl by pivotal counter-clockwise movement of the L-link 26 upon the pivot points 27 and 28.

In actuality, the unitary seat and back is pivotally mounted at 27 to the upper extremity of L-link 26 which is in turn pivotally mounted at its lower extremity at 28 to the bracket 20 wherefore the body-supporting unit is movable from the upright or sitting position of FIG. 1 to the position of FIG. 2 or to the position of FIG. 3 or to any position therebetween;

In the movement from an upright position, the pivoting link 60 and the primary propeller link 40 are swung upwardly and forwardly as the seat 6 is raised, while the L-link 26 pivots in a countercloc wise direction. As the pivoting link 60 rotates, it urges secondary elevator link 50 forwardly and upwardly and this, in turn, simultaneously impels primary propeller link 40 forwardly and upwardly so as to cause a similar movement of primary elevator link 30, thereby bringing the leg-rest 29 to the raised or extended position shown in FIGS. 2 or 3.

It will be observed that, during the sequence of movements just described, the base link 70 has not chmged its generally horizontal position relative to the bracket 20 and still rests upon the stop 102.

It will also be noted that the occupant has stopped the chair at a point wherein the lower extremity 26 of L- link 26 is not contacting the stop 100 and he has assumed an intermediate reclining position, with the leg-rest extended as shown in FIG. 2.

To achieve the position illustrated in FIG. 3, from that shown in FIG. 2, additional weight is brought to bear upon the back 8, whereupon the unitary seat-back structure is angularized relative to the chair brace 10 and the L-link 26 pivots upon the points 27 and 28 causing the lower extremity 26 of said L-link 26 to contact the stop 100.

T o reach the reclined position of FIG. 4 from the posi- FIG. 3, the chair occupant may once again bring additional pressure to bear upon the chair back, whereupon the forward end of the base link 7-6 is urged upwardly by the pivoting link 60 through the pivotal connection 64, causing the base link 76 to pivot at its rearward end on the point 72.

To reach any desired reclined position with the legrest extended, it will be understood that the lower extremity 26' of L-link 26 need not abut the stop 100.

Thus, as the base link 70 pivots in a counter-clockwise direction, the arcuate surface 78 is caused to ride upwardly relative to the bolt 90. When the rearward stop 71 of the base link 70 is engaged by the bolt, further angularization of the chair back is precluded and the chair components have assumed the reclined position shown in FIG. 4.

The occupant may return the chair from this reclined position to the position of FIG. 3 by exerting a slight downward pressure upon the seat 6, causing the arcuate surface 78 of the base link 70 to ride downwardly relative to the bolt and maintain the leg-rest in a substantially extended position.

Referring to FIG. 5, it will be observed that the leg-rest may be partially retracted to any position desired between the fully extended position and the fully retracted position while the chair is still in any reclined position, if desired. The reclined position, as shown in FIG. and any intermediate position between that of FIG. 5 and FIG. 1 may be reached from an upright position by restraining pressure of the heels on the leg-rest while applying pressure on the back 8 wherein the seat-back rotates on pivot points 27 and 72.

To reach the position of FIG. 5 from that shown in FIG. 4, the occupant need only exert a downward pressure of the heels upon the leg-rest 29, whereupon the seat pivots slightly in a clockwise direction on the L-link 26, while stop 71 remains in its position at the bolt 90 adjacent the rearward end of base link 70. Meanwhile, all of the other leg-rest linkage components have moved to the collapsed position.

It will also be noted that the pivoting link 60 is provided at its lower extremity with a toe portion 60 which extends outwardly therefrom so as to act as a secondary stop upon abutment with the lower end of either the primary propeller link 30 or primary elevator link 40 to preclude further retracting of the leg-rest mechanism.

To return to the fully upright position of FIG. 1 from the position of FIG. 5 a slight downward pressure is extion shown in erted upon the seat 6 causing the arcuate surface 78 of the base link to move easily downwardly relative to the bolt 90 until the stop portion of base link 70 strikes the stop 102 whereupon further downward movement of the seat is precluded.

It will be appreciated that the chair occupant may, if he so desires, cause the various components of the linkage to stop at any point between the upright position of FIG. 1, the intermediate position of FIG. 2, and the position shown in FIG. 3. Stated otherwise, the occupant need not continue angularization of the seat-back until the lower extremity 26 of the link 26 engages the stop 100; he may find a more comfortable position intermediate the upright position and the position shown in FIG. 3, and intermediate the positions of FIGS. 2 and 3.

In addition, if the occupant should choose an intermediate stopping point such as in FIG. 2, he may still recline to a position approximating that of FIG. 4 by exerting a slight force upon the seat-back. Again, he need not be forced to assume any reclined position resulting when the lower extremity of the arcuate surface 78 abuts the bolt 90, but may choose to stop at some point wherein the bolt 96 will be intermediate the ends of the arcuate surface 78.

From the foregoing, it will also be appreciated that an infinite number and variety of chair positions may be achieved by the application or shifting of body weight and/or leg movement or restraint, relative to the back, seat and leg-rest, and that the pressure required to move those components will at times be directly related to the pressure of the friction link 80 upon the pivot base link '70, same being increased or decreased by rotation of the wing nut 94 relative to the fixed bolt 90. However, this does not apply when the operator moves directly from the upright position to the position shown in FIG. 3 when the leg-rest is allowed to move forwardly and upwardly in an unrestrained manner.

Without further analysis, the foregoing is intended to so fully reveal the gist of our invention and its construction and operation that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications Without omitting features which, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of its generic and/or specific aspects. The substitution of equivalents and other changes, modifications and alterations as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, are contemplated since the invention is susceptible of such without departing from its real spirit or underlying principles. Stated otherwise, it is not desired to limit this invention to the exact construction shown and described as the ob jects hereof may be attained by the use of constructions different in certain respects from that disclosed.

The protection which is sought for this invention is covered by the language of the above specification and the spirit represented thereby and same is limited only by the prior art and the scope of the appended claim.

The invention is claimed, broadly as well as specifically, as indicated in the appended claim, and same is desired to include within the scope thereof all of said suitable variations, modifications and equivalents by which substantially the results of the invention may be obtained through the use of substantially the same or equivalent devices or means, Accordingly, limitation hereof should only be made as determined by a proper interpretation of the subjoined claim.

We therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as our invention:

In a reclining chair, a support, a unitary body-supporting unit including a seat and back-rest, an L-link extending between said support and said body supporting unit mounting said body-supporting unit for movement about an axis relative to said support between a sitting position and an intermediate resting position and a fully reclined position and positions therebetween, a leg=rest, a control linkage including coacting interconnected links movable relative to each other in response to movement of said body-supporting unit and including: a bracket fixed to said support, said L-link pivotally mounted on said bracket and pivotally supporting said seat, a base link pivotally connected to said bracket independently of said L-link, said base link having a stop portion and an adjacent arcuate cam portion, a friction link superposed upon said base link and fixed to said bracket, frictional adjustment means for controlling the movement of said base link and comprising a bolt fixed to said bracket and to said friction link and an adjustment nut on said bolt engageable with said friction link, the frictional engagement of said base link with said bracket being variable by the rotation of said adjustment nut, said nut being positioned adjacent said stop portion and said cam portion of said base link and being engageable therewith for limiting the movement of said body-supporting unit, a primary propeller link pivotally connected to said seat, a primary elevator link pivotally connected to said primary propeller link and to said leg-rest, a secondary elevator link pivotally connected to said primary propeller link and to said leg-rest, a pivoting link pivotally connected to said secondary elevator link and to said base link and to said seat, with said legrest contnol linkage having a capacity for holding said leg-rest adjacent the seat of said body-supporting unit in upright sitting position and for holding said leg-rest projected forwardly thereof in any reclining position thereof and for permitting retraction of said leg-rest While said body-supporting unit remains in any tilted position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,918,109 Schliephacke Dec. 22, 1959 2,918,113 Lorenz Dec. 22, 1959 2,921,624 Lorenz Jan. 19, 1960 2,940,509 Fletcher June 14, 1960 2,940,510 Schliephacke June 14, 1960 2,948,330 Lorenz Aug. 9, 1960 2,964,095 Hoffman Dec. 13, 1960 2,965,158 Fletcher Dec. 20. 1960 

